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Naha’s old Sogen-ji temple also found defaced

Naha City Office staff discovered Monday that someone had sprayed oil-like substance on the first gate and other parts of Sogen-ji temple ruins, and reported the case to police the next day.

Sogen-ji ruin is designated as an Important Cultural Property. The liquid seems to be similar that was found sprayed over the weekend on Shurei-mon and other sites at Shuri Castle. Naha Police is investigating the incidents as violations of the Law for Protection of Cultural Properties.

Following the discovery of the defacing at Shuri Castle, Naha City Office sent staff Monday to inspect the cultural properties of Shikina-en garden, Tamaudun gravesite, and the old Sogen-ji temple ruin, and discovered the oily substance on eleven spots at Sogen-ji.

According to Naha City officials, the old Sogen-ji temple is open to public 24 hours a day, and they are not sure when the liquid was sprayed on the property.

Okinawa Prefecture Board of Education Cultural Assets Division has submitted a request to all municipalities to check any similar damages to cultural assets, but none had been found as of Apr. 4th.